Found out my house has been underpinned

cyclonebri1

It's not going to fall down.
Visit any new development and try to find a single property that isn't scarred by cracks well over your 1mm:eek:

I don't know the legal issues regarding your sale either, the vendor will argue he didn't know the property was underpinned, no idea where that goes.

I do think the only issue you have is a moral one. If/when you come to sell, you will be asked the same question. Only you can give the answer to that 1.

May not be the moral option, but if the previous owner/vendor sold it to you saying he knew of no structural support work, how would you know any different when it comes to selling?.

Don't worry is the advice.;)

Poppy_Kennedy

Thanks for taking the time to reply to me, i do feel reassured, i thought i was going to get comments that would make me feel worse!

I was thinking of getting a structural engineer to come and have a look and tell me that the house is safe and sound now, i assume that if it hasnt moved since 2007 when we moved in that the underpinnign was done correctly.

There are 2 cracks either side of my window in my bedroom (inside) that have not gotten any bigger for years (i look at them ALOT) - i do want to get them filled in so i can stop obsessing!

re the soil the house is on - all i remember was a passing comment from my building saying its 'nice sandy soil' - none of the houses on the street have been underpinned as i looked on the counsil website so we are not in an arrea of subsidence - i am in Walton on Thames, Surrey.

I do feel that the vendor has lied and been dishonest and i bought the house under false pretences, i also feel that surely the survey should have notices, or not as its undergound?

Thanks again all

Furts

Poppy_Kennedy wrote: »

Thanks for taking the time to reply to me, i do feel reassured, i thought i was going to get comments that would make me feel worse!

I was thinking of getting a structural engineer to come and have a look and tell me that the house is safe and sound now, i assume that if it hasnt moved since 2007 when we moved in that the underpinnign was done correctly.

There are 2 cracks either side of my window in my bedroom (inside) that have not gotten any bigger for years (i look at them ALOT) - i do want to get them filled in so i can stop obsessing!

re the soil the house is on - all i remember was a passing comment from my building saying its 'nice sandy soil' - none of the houses on the street have been underpinned as i looked on the counsil website so we are not in an arrea of subsidence - i am in Walton on Thames, Surrey.

I do feel that the vendor has lied and been dishonest and i bought the house under false pretences, i also feel that surely the survey should have notices, or not as its undergound?

Thanks again all

Hi Poppy
If it helps, should you have reported this to a structural surveyor saying you were concerned about movement, he would probably have fixed tell tales/small crack gauges and said he would monitor it.

You have done your own tell tales and monitoring. You have monitored a crack since 2007 and it has not got any bigger. So job done at no cost to you, apart from stress and worry.

vaio

stick with the "historical settlement and/or bulk concrete backfill to old drain repair" option.

If you get a structural engineer in to look at "underpinning" & movement then it will be down on paper and official with all the bad consequences that brings.

Avoriaz

Poppy_Kennedy wrote: »

... i am in Walton on Thames, Surrey....

Hello ex near neighbour. :beer:

We lived in nearby Weybridge for 26 years until 2011 when we moved to West Sussex.


The consensus on this thread appears to be that you have little or nothing to worry about.

If I were in your situation I would stop worrying and do nothing other than monitor the existing cracks over the years.

Your house is probably no more at risk of subsidence than most others.

Stop obsessing and start enjoying your home.

Poppy_Kennedy

Avoriaz - Hello!! Weybridge is a lovely area! hope your enjoying West Sussex

If you get a structural engineer in to look at "underpinning" & movement then it will be down on paper and official with all the bad consequences that brings

This is what i thought and i dont want anything to be official, or down on paper

THANK YOU all so much for your words of wisdom and positive replies, i have spent so long worrying about this, i feel alot better now thanks to you guys!

I may well get a structural engineer to look at the old longstanding cracks just for final piece of mind but not actually mention the underpinning incase anything comes up once we come to sell.

Thanks again :beer:

DaftyDuck

Poppy_Kennedy wrote: »

I may well get a structural engineer to look at the old longstanding cracks just for final piece of mind but not actually mention the underpinning incase anything comes up once we come to sell.

I'd really advise you to not do this. Structural engineers - even more than surveyors - are paid to cover every option and worry. If there is even the slightest possibility of a problem, he will find it. He will also charge a fortune for doing so.

As you say, longstanding cracks. Nothing shows any sign whatsoever of any current slip, or any sign that there is any cataclysmic event round the corner. You will obviously keep an eye out.

When you come to sell, the questions you may/will be asked may say "are you aware of any subsidence, slip, or remedial work for subsidence or slip" (or something like that. At the moment, a builder has told you something fuzzy that... a drain was filled in over there somewhere, but it's no problem and nothing to do with the work we are doing, luv, and can we have another cuppa please?
The structural engineer may tell you, in no uncertain terms that a part of your house has suffered subsidence, and has been underpinned, and that this has successfully cured all problems and there will be no recurrence.

Except, in writhing this (and charging you £££), he has clearly told you something that may make your house virtually unsaleable.

No; leave it as it is, monitor it carefully yourself, and spend any money on a good builder to sort any problem out directly!

Poppy_Kennedy

Thanks Dafty Duck i really do appreciate your advice on this - we havent actually told anyone (apart from the builders) so its good to get other people's views on this.

I am still miffed why the full survey we paid fordidnt bring this up though

Avoriaz

Poppy_Kennedy wrote: »

Avoriaz - Hello!! Weybridge is a lovely area! hope your enjoying West Sussex.....

We love it here thanks Poppy. :beer:

We enjoyed our time in Weybridge but decided to retire to a quieter (and cheaper) area. We are near Chichester with easy access to the Downs and the harbour and coast.

We still have many friends in the Weybridge area and we come back up regularly. It is only 70 minutes by car. We were in Walton last week and we will be in Cobham this evening.

Poppy_Kennedy

Yes Weybridge is very expensive... i will be staying in my lovely [underpinned :eek:] semi for a few more years to come.. thats if its still standing :rotfl: